St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-15
DESPERATE CORTINA FREE.
Eleven Years in Prison without Tria. for
ENpediency's Sake.

ENpedienCy'S Sake.
The release of Juan COrtina, after
more than eleven years of imprisOn-
'nent in the military prison Of Santiago
Tlaltelolco. reviyes the story of the
mans romantic and picturesque career.
Intelligent public sentiment in Mexico
has ALWAYS condemned the policy of the
Mexican government in imprsoning 2
him at all, and innumcrable have been
the indignant and contemptuous criti-
cisms in consequence. From President
DiaZ down, almost everybody knew that
Cortina was an offender not against
Mexico, but against the United States ;
that he was Il citizen not of Mexico, but
of Texas; that it was before a
Texan not Mexican tribunal that
he should have appeared and that
it was not in Mexican, but
in a. United States prison that
he should have eXpiated his crimes Still,
. there was a loud and bitter outcry
i against Cortina along the Rio t3rande,
on the Texas side Of which Cortina was
persistentiy credited to Mexico, and when
OiaZ, after his successful revotTagainst
Lerdo de TeXada, in 1876, became Presi-
dent, he found it would be better for him
10 accept the situation at the American
estimate, and since the United States au-
thorities would not do so. arrest the tu-
multuous Cortina himself lie issued
orders accordingly and Cortina was soon
lodged in the prison of Santiago, where
he has remained ever since, though lat
terly some little freedom has been al
lowed him. He was never brought to
trial because, in fact, he had violated no
laws of Mexico. He was held in obedi-
ence to an idea of international eXpedi-
ency. That was all.
That Cortina was a ruffian, murderer
and a brute is not doubted by any one
who knows his history. That he was
the guiding spirit of that vast cattle
stealing organization which ravaged the
Texas frontier during the sixties and the
early seventies there is good reason to
believe. But the truth is that Cortina
was born in Texas, not far from Browns
vile, where his mother lived all her life,
and where she owned an estate of some
value. He was desperate of brilliant
attainments, and long and bloody and
cruel is the record attributed to him.
Many army officers will recall him, fif
teen OR twenty years ago, as he would
ride into Brownsville or Matamoros, a
nervous, muscular, 1.-THE figure, magni1-
Gently attired in the most picturesque
style of the Mexican caballero, superbly
mounted and bristling with revolvers.
He rejoiced in lightning pulp and
deadly aim, and the highest ambition of
Che prudent tradesman in either town
twas to shut up shop as soon as Cortina
entered.
} Decidedly it was in the interests of
civilization that Cortina should be locked
up. The only trouble was that the United
States and not the Mexican authorities
were the ones to do it. Relations, how
ever, were strained at that time. Diaz
did not feel secure of American sympa-
thy, and he finally decided, it is believed in
Mexico by the advice of Minister Foster,
to remove the firebrand and restore good
feeling. 1t is only fair to say that the
United States authorities reciprocated in
1877 by seizing lot of arms about to be
crossed into Mexico for the purpose of
equipping a counter-revolution against
Diaz, organized by the deposed President
Lerdo, then living in New York, and of
which General Escobedo, since pardoned
and reinstated, was to be the leader
All the same, however, Cortina was
citizen of Texas, an offender against the
laws of the United States, and should
nave DeeH uealG VIII ny tnaI govern
ment and not the Mexican. Indeed, he
was at one time during the war between
the Northern and Southern States in the |
military service of the Union.
He is nearly sixty years old now, and
much enfeebled by his long imprison-
ment. 1t is not thought he will do much
if any harm when he, returns to his old |
haunts on the Rio Gfande.